BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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Eby touts mining, energy projects on India tour, dismisses Bishnoi gang report
British Columbia Premier David Eby said Indian companies and the delegation he is leading in the subcontinent have been holding “extensive discussions” about accessing the province’s mining and energy sectors. Eby, whose six-day trip to India wraps up Saturday, said in a news briefing by video from Mumbai Thursday that the Indian firms they’ve been…
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Updated testing finds no PCBs in stormwater pond on former St. Catharines GM site, but it might not be a ‘risk-free facility’
Amid intense public scrutiny of the contaminated former General Motors site in St. Catharines, including concerns about an offline filtration system meant to eliminate toxic chemicals from stormwater runoff, the property owner has ordered further lab testing on the northern portion of the 55-acre property, the City has shared. In a post on the City…
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Federal privacy commissioner looking into sexualized deepfakes on X platform
The federal privacy commissioner will investigate the proliferation of sexualized deepfakes created by artificial intelligence chatbot Grok and shared on X. “The use of personal information without consent to create deepfakes, including intimate images, is a growing phenomenon that poses serious risks to individuals’ fundamental right to privacy,” Philippe Dufresne said in a news release…
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Essex launches revamped online ‘Report a Problem’ tool that allows residents to check on status
The Town of Essex’s “Report a Problem” online platform – that allows residents to relay issues related to Town-owned infrastructure, parks, facilities, and concerns with Short Term Rental Units and town by-laws – has been updated. Essex Council learned of the revamp, and received a presentation on the changes, at the July 7 meeting. The…
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Study finds genetically distinct bull trout population in Kananaskis could be devastated by proposed logging project
KANANASKIS – A newly uncovered, genetically distinct population of bull trout in an area of Kananaskis could be lost forever should a proposed logging operation go ahead, according to a new study. Prepared by Fintegrate Fisheries & Watershed Consulting for Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), the study began in 2023 and highlighted the importance…
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Reading, writing, punching, kicking
Julie Braaksma, better known as Ms. Braaksma inside her Brandon elementary school, was called for back-up help when a Grade 1 student burst into a temper tantrum in January. More than 15 years into her career as a resource teacher, the request was not out of the ordinary; in fact, she often tells colleagues to…
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Judge restores Democrat to Federal Trade Commission, ruling her firing by Trump was illegal
A federal judge has restored a Democrat to the Federal Trade Commission, ruling that President Donald Trump illegally fired her earlier this year in his efforts to exert control over independent agencies across the government. U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan ruled late Thursday that federal law protects FTC commissioners from being removed by the president…
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British spies and special forces identities exposed in Afghan data leak
LONDON (AP) — A data leak that led thousands of Afghans to be resettled in the U.K. after their safety was jeopardized because they assisted forces against the Taliban also exposed the identities of British spies and special forces, news organizations reported Thursday. U.K. media reported that the names of more than 100 special forces…
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Trump administration hands over Medicaid recipients’ personal data, including addresses, to ICE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will be given access to the personal data of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including home addresses and ethnicities, to track down immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States, according to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press. The information will give ICE officials the…
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Emails show DeSantis administration blindsided county officials with plans for ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration left many local officials in the dark about the immigration detention center that rose from an isolated airstrip in the Everglades, emails obtained by The Associated Press show, while relying on an executive order to seize the land, hire contractors and bypass laws and regulations. The…
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Settlement reached in investors’ lawsuit against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other company leaders
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — A settlement was announced Thursday in court in a class action investors’ lawsuit against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and current and former company leaders over claims stemming from the privacy scandal involving the Cambridge Analytica political consulting firm. The suit had sought billions of dollars in reimbursement for fines and legal…